


A Bond Forged by the Sword

by LegendaryBiologist13



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: A3! Rarepair Weeks 2020, Acting, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Rare Pairings, Spoilers for Die by the Sword, Swordfighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:41:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25354159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LegendaryBiologist13/pseuds/LegendaryBiologist13
Summary: Tasuku and Guy had a practice together at night and saw the similarities between them and their characters for their next play.Written for A3! Rarepair Week Day 6Prompt: Screaming
Relationships: Takatoo Tasuku/Guy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18
Collections: A3! Rare Pairs Week 2020





	A Bond Forged by the Sword

**Author's Note:**

> In case of this prompt, I was just like, "Ah, this word gave me an idea." While it will involve screaming, it's not really the main focus.

A hand on his sheathed katana, Guy lunged with a poker face. "The right to strike-"

From the sideline, Tasuku commented, "Your scream was loud, but the emotion wasn't enough."

Guy stopped in his tracks and looked at Tasuku with a long face. "Sorry."

"No, no need to apologize. Let's think of a way to improve it." Tasuku looked at the script. "Can you try looking and sounding angrier? Kojiro was trying to get revenge for his master at that point."

"Angry, huh?"

If it'd been someone else, Tasuku would've yelled; everyone, especially Tsumugi, would've noticed how much he mellowed around Guy. Well, why not? It wasn't easy to find someone who shared so much interest with you; unlike Tsumugi, Guy could wake up early in the morning and join him for a run and even street acts.

It was why he'd invited Guy for another practice tonight, just the two of them together. With such a passion for acting, Guy would certainly grow into a fine actor, and Tasuku would love that.

Once again, the poker-faced Guy lunged with a hand on his katana. "The right to strike-"

"Still lacking." Tasuku stroked his chin. Did he have to ask Guy to assume that he was fighting for Citron, who used to be his master? Wouldn't that sound rude?

"Sorry. Expressing emotions is hard, but I'll keep trying."

A light bulb went off in his head, and Tasuku nodded. "Then how about you try putting yourself in your character's shoes? Arisugawa usually uses that method to get in-character."

"Arisugawa…" Guy smiled a bit. "I understand." A hand on his sheathed katana, he lunged again, but now his brow furrowed in anger. "The right to strike-"

"That's much better. Your scream and facial expressions were on point."

"Thank you." Guy smiled a tad more broadly. "By remembering that I once worked for Citronia, I could express emotions more easily. It's all thanks to you."

"Well, it's thanks to Arisugawa too, who's quite like you." Tasuku walked towards a chair, beside which a sheathed katana lay. He placed the script on the chair and picked up the weapon. "How about we practice the duel at the end?" He wore the sheath belt around his waist. "Show me that you've learned how to express Kojiro's emotions properly."

"Let's."

Both Tasuku and Guy headed towards the center of the rehearsal room, with their hands ready to draw their katanas.

"You came," Tasuku began sternly.

"Musashi, why did you fight?" Guy asked, concern laced his voice and visage. It was as if he, Kojiro, wanted to befriend Musashi instead of fighting him.

"To earn a place to die..." Tasuku unsheathed his katana and dashed at Guy. "To be judged as somebody worth dying!"

With a shocked face, Guy drew his katana and raised it just in time to block the strike.

Wood clashed against wood. Battle cries echoed across the rehearsal room. As Musashi, a master swordsman who hungered for a good fight, Tasuku swung his katana like a madman, with a bloodthirsty grin.

Guy remained defensive, at which Tasuku pressed on even harder, even if his ears hurt from the myriad of clacks and war cries. If Guy still refused to give his all, then Tasuku would force the survival instinct out of him.

Guy sidestepped, and Tasuku almost lost his footing. Yet Guy didn't take advantage of that.

Tasuku gave Guy a confused look. "What's wrong? This can't be all you've got."

"A duel like this is meaningless-"

"Meaning? There's a strong guy right in front of me!" Tasuku regained his balance and charged again. "That's enough meaning for me!"

Guy parried the incoming blow. With their katanas grinding against each other, he said, "You're going mad-"

"I don't care!" Tasuku broke away from the struggle and hacked and slashed again. And once again, Guy merely blocked everything.

The clash went on, but none of the strikes landed. Beads of sweat dribbled down Tasuku's temple as his heart pounded as wildly as his sword swings. Guy too, was sweating that much.

Guy had chosen to portray a gentler Kojiro, Tasuku thought. And damn, he did deliver the portrayal with all the defensive maneuver.

A clash, and their katanas locked together. Then Guy broke away from the struggle. Standing slightly hunched, he panted.

"Exhausted already?"

"Why are you- No." Guy stood more upright and gripped his katana tightly, his face hardened with determination. "Words are futile."

"That's right-"

Guy's frenzied scream cut Tasuku off, and Tasuku barely blocked the incoming strike. Tasuku grinned; this was exactly he - and Musashi - wanted: a passionate, ferocious foe. Yet fighting wildly and fiercely played right into Musashi's strength.

A sidestep, and a swing, and the katana slipped out of Guy's hands. Another swing, and Guy fell to his knees, with a hand clutching his chest.

Tasuku huffed. "That's right. This is what I've always…" He pointed his katana at Guy's. "Now, Kojiro, once more..."

Guy groaned. "Forgive me. Musashi, in your place of death, I-" And he collapsed before finishing his sentence, his eyes closed.

Sheathing his katana, Tasuku cast a sorrowful gaze at Guy's fallen body. "I thought I'd finally met the one…" His voice cracked. "Kojiro... Once again, I'm..." He looked up at the ceiling, holding back his tears.

The expression of Musashi's pain came so naturally, much to Tasuku's surprise. No, this wasn't about being too in-character, but saying it to Guy would be embarrassing.

If anything, Tasuku was relieved that Guy had decided to stay at Winter Troupe. Guy would grow into a fine rival when it came to acting, on top of enjoying workouts just like him.

"How did I do?" Guy sat up, wiping the sweat of his face with the sleeves of his shirt.

Tasuku smiled. "Very good. It's amazing how you started out gentle and ended it with ferocity. That scream especially caught me off-guard."

Guy returned the smile. "Thank you. Emotions are difficult, but I tried your suggestion. If I were Kojiro, I'd like to have Musashi as both my friend and my rival."

"Both your friend and your rival, huh?" Tasuku reached out a hand to Guy. "That's quite like us, don't you think so?"

"Indeed." Guy held the hand, and as Tasuku pulled him up, he added, "Someday I'll catch up with you, Takato."

"I like your spirit, Guy."


End file.
